Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

9th annual US-Japan Friendship Concert held in Iwakuni City - Students with elementary, middle and high schools from Iwakuni City, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and surrounding cities perform “Remember Me” by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez at the Sinfonia Iwakuni Concert Hall in Iwakuni City, Japan, Feb. 23, 2019. Seven schools with an accumulative 222 students participated in the 9th annual U.S.-Japan Friendship Concert that was hosted by the Chugoku-Shikoku Defense Bureau. The purpose of the concert was to strengthen understanding and collaboration with local residents within the vicinity of Iwakuni City. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Stephen Campbell)

Students from Noda Gakuen High School in Yamaguchi City and Matthew C. Perry High School at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, participate in a drama class at MCAS Iwakuni April 21, 2016. Events like these help secure the two nations’ relationship with positive activities that educate students about each other’s culture. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Aaron Henson/Released) - Students from Noda Gakuen High School in Yamaguchi City and Matthew C. Perry High School at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, participate in a drama class at MCAS Iwakuni April 21, 2016. Events like these help secure the two nations’ relationship with positive activities that educate students about each other’s culture. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Aaron Henson/Released)

Matthew C. Perry School students and Japanese students pose for a photo at the annual holiday concert at Marine Memorial Chapel at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 8, 2015. The American and Japanese students prepared and sang a number of holiday songs in both Japanese and English. - Matthew C. Perry School students and Japanese students pose for a photo at the annual holiday concert at Marine Memorial Chapel at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Dec. 8, 2015. The American and Japanese students prepared and sang a number of holiday songs in both Japanese and English.

Residents from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, visit the Peace Memorial Park area after visiting the atomic bomb dome in Hiroshima, Dec. 5, 2015. The Youth and Teen Center provided station residents the opportunity to explore the Peace Memorial Park area and shop around the area. The dome is the only building that remains and provided students with a visual image of the aftermath of World War II. - Residents from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, visit the Peace Memorial Park area after visiting the atomic bomb dome in Hiroshima, Dec. 5, 2015. The Youth and Teen Center provided station residents the opportunity to explore the Peace Memorial Park area and shop around the area. The dome is the only building that remains and provided students with a visual image of the aftermath of World War II.

Yuki Kintanaka, a student at Bunkyo Women’s University in Hiroshima, Japan, performs a traditional dance for Matthew C. Perry High School students at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Nov. 23, 2015. Bunkyo Women’s University students visited the station to learn about American culture as well as teach the American students a little about their own. School trips like this help the bond between Japan and the U.S. grow stronger. - Yuki Kintanaka, a student at Bunkyo Women’s University in Hiroshima, Japan, performs a traditional dance for Matthew C. Perry High School students at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Nov. 23, 2015. Bunkyo Women’s University students visited the station to learn about American culture as well as teach the American students a little about their own. School trips like this help the bond between Japan and the U.S. grow stronger.

Makaiya Harris, first place winner of the advanced group, receives a gold medal at the 54th Annual Japanese and English Speech Contest at the Iwakuni Sinfonia in Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 8, 2015. Japanese contestants wrote their own speeches in English and American students delivered theirs in Japanese. The ultimate goal of the speech contest is to promote understanding and friendship between Americans and Japanese. - Makaiya Harris, first place winner of the advanced group, receives a gold medal at the 54th Annual Japanese and English Speech Contest at the Iwakuni Sinfonia in Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 8, 2015. Japanese contestants wrote their own speeches in English and American students delivered theirs in Japanese. The ultimate goal of the speech contest is to promote understanding and friendship between Americans and Japanese.

Kip Winterowd, National Cheerleaders Association director of curriculum, gives cheerleaders a pep talk during cheer week at Matthew C. Perry High School gymnasium at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 2, 2015. This is the 3rd year in a row MCAS Iwakuni hosted the Far East Cheerleading tournament and 12 teams from the Department of Defense Education Activity Pacific participated in a week of learning and fun.(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Nicole Zurbrugg/Released) - Kip Winterowd, National Cheerleaders Association director of curriculum, gives cheerleaders a pep talk during cheer week at Matthew C. Perry High School gymnasium at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 2, 2015. This is the 3rd year in a row MCAS Iwakuni hosted the Far East Cheerleading tournament and 12 teams from the Department of Defense Education Activity Pacific participated in a week of learning and fun.(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Nicole Zurbrugg/Released)

Students from the Matthew C. Perry High School and Noda Gakuen High School bond during a mathematics class while a visiting M.C. Perry aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 24, 2015. The visit is part of the Noda Gakuen High School’s Global International Course, thats main focus is to give students resources needed to improve language and communication skills, understand their roles in different societies and actively challenge themselves to try new things. - Students from the Matthew C. Perry High School and Noda Gakuen High School bond during a mathematics class while a visiting M.C. Perry aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 24, 2015. The visit is part of the Noda Gakuen High School’s Global International Course, thats main focus is to give students resources needed to improve language and communication skills, understand their roles in different societies and actively challenge themselves to try new things.

Spencer Boucher (left) and Aidan Lewis (right), 10th graders of Matthew C. Perry High School, pose after winning the cardboard boat science competition held at the IronWorks pool aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 12, 2015. Boucher and Lewis were the only students to successfully venture down and back in the Olympic sized pool while one rowed with a handmade, cardboard paddle. “It feels pretty awesome to be the best out of everyone and we enjoyed competing,” said Boucher. “We learned a lot about the elements of math and science such as buoyancy and we worked as a team, that’s how we were successful.” - Spencer Boucher (left) and Aidan Lewis (right), 10th graders of Matthew C. Perry High School, pose after winning the cardboard boat science competition held at the IronWorks pool aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 12, 2015. Boucher and Lewis were the only students to successfully venture down and back in the Olympic sized pool while one rowed with a handmade, cardboard paddle. “It feels pretty awesome to be the best out of everyone and we enjoyed competing,” said Boucher. “We learned a lot about the elements of math and science such as buoyancy and we worked as a team, that’s how we were successful.”

Capt. Benjamin Baldwin, a weapon systems officer with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 and a judge for Matthew C. Perry High School’s science fair, listens to a student as he explains his project inside the high school gymnasium, Dec. 18, 2014, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. The science fair is part of the school’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiative, which presented students with an opportunity to practice the scientific method. - Capt. Benjamin Baldwin, a weapon systems officer with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 and a judge for Matthew C. Perry High School’s science fair, listens to a student as he explains his project inside the high school gymnasium, Dec. 18, 2014, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. The science fair is part of the school’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiative, which presented students with an opportunity to practice the scientific method.